


Beautiful Monsters

by Cartadwarfwithaheartofgold (manka)



Series: 2020 Charity Fundraiser One-Shots for RAINN [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Arguing, Cousin Incest, F/F, If You Squint - Freeform, Kissing, Modern Thedas, Poverty, Rough Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26327827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manka/pseuds/Cartadwarfwithaheartofgold
Summary: Maria Cadash misses the SAT exam that Shay scheduled. Shay is furious and demands answers.Maria knows how to win an argument though.
Relationships: Female Cadash/Female Cadash, Maria Cadash/Shay Cadash
Series: 2020 Charity Fundraiser One-Shots for RAINN [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1913077
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	Beautiful Monsters

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blarfkey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blarfkey/gifts).



> This is part of my Charity Fundraiser! All of the proceeds go to RAINN.org to help survivors of sexual violence. Thank you Blarfkey so much for donating to the cause and allowing me to take the opportunity to make our OCs kiss. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Nobody could clear the area like Shay when she was in a temper.

Maria didn’t look up from her book, but she stopped reading the second the air changed in the parking lot, too used to the subtle changes of a situation to ignore the way the chatter suddenly ceased around her. Instead of gawking herself, she peered through the curtain of her blood red hair and watched Shay march down the steps and into the parking lot.

Shay’s piercing eyes were fixed on Maria. She _felt_ them like a burn. 

Well. Maria _knew_ she wasn’t going to get away with it. 

Still, there was something to admire in the way people scattered before the tiny teenager like she was the size of Bull instead of a dwarf in a _cheerleading_ outfit. The skirt swung and twitched like a viper’s tail. Her curly hair writhed in the wind like a mass of snakes. 

Maria once read a myth about a woman so beautiful she’d been turned into a monster, but looking at Shay, Maria could admit even monsters set on vengeance could be beautiful. 

Nobody stayed to defend Maria against Shay, not even Bull would have dared. Those dark eyes of her burned with the fury of all their ancestors and her mouth was set in a pout that clearly stated blood was going to be spilt. But if Shay thought she could frighten Maria with that stare, she had another thing coming. 

Maria flipped the page in her book instead, watching as Shay came to a stop in front of her car. The other teen was close enough to reach out and pull Maria off the hood, but she didn’t dare. Not yet, at least. 

“Do you know what your problem is, Maria?” 

For someone as livid with her as Shay clearly was, there was a sort of eerie calm in her voice. One that nearly made Maria shiver with a sudden premonition of dread. Instead she flicked her eyes up from the page and arranged her features into the best imitation of boredom she could muster. 

“I’m sure you’re gonna tell me.” 

Shay drew herself up to her full meager height. “No. Seriously. I’m asking ‘cause I can’t figure it out. You’re the most enigmatic person I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.” 

“Enigmatic.” Maria repeated, raising an eyebrow. “You really got those vocab words down, don’t you?” 

Shay didn’t even dignify her dig with a response, waving it away like a gnat. “What happened?” 

“Overslept.” 

“Bullshit.” Shay folded her arms over her chest and leveled her with a stare that usually made football players flee before her. “Absolute _bullshit_ , Maria.” 

Maria couldn’t hold her gaze any longer. She dropped her eyes back to her book before she whispered, “What do you want from me, Shay?” 

“The truth would be nice, for once.” 

Maria didn’t mean to tell her. It wasn’t in the plan to say anything, but she always ended up telling Shay more than she wanted to. 

“I didn’t have enough gas in the car and didn’t have any cash. Had to choose between taking the SAT or getting to work.” 

She spat the words out between her teeth and turned the next page in her book, unseeing. The silence stretched uncomfortably around then and Maria felt an uncomfortable prickle in the back of her throat. 

“Maria…” 

“Don’t.” Maria ordered. It didn’t stop Shay. It _never_ stopped Shay.

“You should have told me. I helped you _schedule_ this test. I want you to… I _have_ the money.” Shay finally reached out, grabbing Maria’s arm and tugging her down the hood of the car with surprising strength. 

Maria allowed Shay to have the upper hand long enough for her to gain her feet before she wrenched away. The hurt in Shay’s eyes only made the burn in the back of her throat worse. “I don’t want your pity party.” 

“How could you think that?” Shay asked. 

Shay reached for her again, delicate fingers wrapping around her wrist. Maria’s pulse leapt beneath her touch. “Maria, _please_.” 

The fine thread of control Maria had snapped. In a movement, she’d whirled back to Shay, pushing her against the side of the car. Shay’s eyes widened, her plump lips opened, and Maria’s eyes fell to them. 

Whatever Shay was about to say died on her tongue. Instead those hands found Maria’s shoulders through the leather jacket and tugged her closer. Maria pitched forward, capturing those soft lips that tempted and tormented in the same breath. 

They opened under hers and fingers tangled in the unruly curls held in Shay’s ponytail. Maria’s tongue twined seamlessly with her’s and all the anger, all the shame, fell away. Replaced with only one one thought rattling in her mind. 

She would rather have _this_ tiny monster than anyone else. 


End file.
